The Deputy Labour Minister and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives visited Nan to monitor work on agriculture, emphasizing shifting the agricultural workforce towards skilled labour for a better quality of life and sustainability.
On October 29, 2020, Deputy Labour Minister Prof. Narumon Pinyosinwat visited agricultural workers in Nan, and Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives Capt. Thammanat Prompao, to listen to water management information and provide arable land for farmers at Wat Pong Kham, Santisuk, Nan. The Ministry of Labour participated in organizing public relations activities and advice about working safety for agricultural worker groups.
Prof. Narumon said that the Prime Minister had assigned the Ministry of Labour to cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives to supervise two provinces: Nan and Phrae, by ensuring the farmers’ livelihoods’ stability. From visiting the area, Nan showed to be a model province for reviving forest areas. In August, she had the opportunity to work on a project to drive Thailand together. She met with government agencies’ heads to listen to suggestions, problems, obstacles, and some progress in performance, especially the dam. The information from the visit today will be reported to the Prime Minister as well, to find ways to support the people in Pong Kham. The Ministry of Labour will assist in vocational training, organizing various courses, such as providing new agricultural knowledge, smart farming, or smart farmers, such as spraying chemicals through drones to reduce costs and increase income. In addition to agriculture, during the non-cultivation period, the workers will receive additional professional training, which can provide training to create online distribution channels to generate income further.
The Deputy Labour Minister added that from visiting the area in August, Nan had proposed a water management project consisting of the Huai Hia Dam and water transmission system and the Huai Pong Dam with a water delivery system. The projects will supply water to about 300 rai of agricultural land to provide farmers with arable land. In addition, there is also a water system project at Baan Sri Bunruang to help supply water to support the expansion project of the Pong Kham Royal Project. There is dam irrigation at Ban Na Lau, and the construction has been carried out, but the problem is that the dam has been designed for a long time now and is thus in the process of feasibility studies, survey and design. There is also a reservoir dredging project budgeted at the end of 2020 but has not seen significant progress as of August – September was affected by storms. The project is coordinating the use of water to the people in the area on how to use and conserve this water for agriculture during the first dry season. If there is a planned adjustment or if the water has been used up, operations will start in the machinery center 1 of the Royal Irrigation Department 1.
“As an assignee to take care of Nan, we are ready to drive and help the people of Nan who have suffered. This is especially in the elevation of agricultural workers to become skilled labour, carrying out agriculture with the environment’s knowledge. The problems and proposals heard today will be used to find ways and push forward the budget to help the people of Nan,” concluded the Deputy Labour Minister.
—————————————–
Division of Public Relations
29 October 2020
